Ask An Archivist
The purpose of The Compass Rose is to raise awareness of Special Collections' resources and to foster the use of these resources. The blog series also reports significant new programs, initiatives, and acquisitions of Special Collections.
Happy Archives Month! As a part of Archives Month, on October 7th we will be celebrating #AskAnArchivist Day! Archivists around the country will respond to questions on Twitter tweeted with the hashtag #AskAnArchivist. Be sure to follow us on Twitter at @spcouta to follow along and ask questions! This is your chance to find out everything you have ever wanted to know about archives and archivists. To celebrate we are previewing some of our most frequently asked questions at UTA Special Collections!
1. What is an Archivist?
To put it simply, an archivist is a professional who is responsible for the care, preservation, and management of historic records. Not all archivists do the same work. Some archivists focus on processing, while others focus on conservation or reference. Some archivists work with photographs, while others work with paper or digital material. Many archivists do a variety of different tasks in their roles like processing, preservation and conservation, reference, or outreach. Although there are many different facets to archival work, archivists strive to preserve records of enduring value and make them accessible.
Priscilla Escobedo, Special Collections Archivist, with a scrapbook from the Elzie and Ruby Odom Papers.
Priscilla Escobedo, Special Collections Archivist, pulling an archival box from the shelf.
2. What does UTA Special Collections collect?
UTA Special Collections has several different collecting areas including Texas history, Cartography, Spanish Language Archives, Photograph Collections, Texas Labor Archives, University Archives, and the Texas Political History Collection. For more information on searching our collections visit: https://libraries.uta.edu/collections/special-collections/searching.
Within each collecting area, UTA Special Collections holds a variety of different types of materials. We don’t just collect documents and photographs! Although we have plenty of those, UTA Special Collections also holds books, microfilm and microfiche, periodicals, maps, ephemera, and born-digital material. One example of the type of material we have are headpieces made from papier-mâché (ca. 1945-1958) created for plays performed at the Reeder School in Fort Worth. Below are images of the headpieces and digitized photos of them in use from the Flora and Dickson Reeder Papers.
3. How are Special Collections materials used?
Like most collecting repositories, UTA Special Collections assists students, faculty, scholars, and the larger community research our collections. We assist researchers by helping them find collections and materials related to their research interests. Additionally, we use Special Collections material for class instruction. In some cases, our materials are used for other purposes. One example is this public art installation at the Fort Worth Municipal Court building, titled “Remnants of 1965.” A photo from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram Collection was used as inspiration for the piece. This is just one example of how Special Collections materials can be used in a variety of ways.
Two marchers hold hands during rally over slaying in Selma, Alabama, of civil rights worker Rev. James Reeb in Fort Worth.
4. How do you become an archivist?
There isn’t one path to becoming an archivist. Many archivists have graduate degrees in Library Science or History with a focus on archival coursework. In addition to education, most archivists have done internships or a practicum to gain hands on experience in the field. Here at UTA Special Collections, we have a variety of educational and professional experience! You can learn more about becoming an archivist on the Society of American Archivists website.
5. Why aren't all records digitized and online?
The UTA Special Collections holds a vast quantity of material and digitization involves much more than just scanning. Digitization and online access involve creating a quality scan that meets certain standards, capturing context with metadata, managing digital files, and making those files accessible to users. To follow these steps, an archive must invest both in technological equipment and labor. While we are always working to make more records accessible online, the costs and labor resources associated with digitization do not allow us to digitize everything. However, we do have some great online resources that can assist you in your research, including UTA Libraries Digital Collections.
You can also view finding aids for our collections on the Texas Archival Resources Online (TARO). Finding aids are guides for each collection. These guides can include information about the creator, the date span of the collection, size of the collection, the way the materials are organized, and a description of what type of materials are in the collection. Finding aids can also contain an index of what is included in each box and folder.
Digital Collections page on the UTA Libraries website.
6. Are you open for research during the COVID-19 pandemic?
UTA Special Collections is open to researchers on a limited basis by appointment only. At this time, we cannot accept walk-in researchers. Due to the pandemic, UTA Libraries is open only to active UTA faculty, staff, and students. To learn more or schedule an appointment visit: https://libraries.uta.edu/collections/special-collections/COVID-19
7. How do I find out more information?
You can reach out on #AskAnArchivist Day on October 7th! Follow us on Twitter at @spcouta and don’t forget to use the hashtag #AskAnArchivist. You can also contact UTA Special Collections by email spcoref@uta.edu or phone 817-272-3393.
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